Standard Format Deck Construction

Updated January 19, 2015

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, you must be able to shuffle your deck with no assistance. If a player wishes to use a sideboard, it must contain no more than fifteen cards.

With the exception of basic land cards, a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. All cards named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest are basic.

The following card sets are permitted in Standard tournaments:

Magic 2015

Theros

Born of the Gods

Journey into Nyx

Khans of Tarkir

Fate Reforged

The following cards are banned in Standard:

There are currently no banned cards in Standard

Official information about Constructed formats and the Standard format can be found in the Magic: the Gathering Tournament Rules.

Block Format Deck Construction

Updated January 19, 2015

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, you must be able to shuffle your deck with no assistance. If a player wishes to use a sideboard, it must contain no more than fifteen cards.

With the exception of basic land cards, a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. All cards named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest are basic. (The five Ice Age snow-covered lands — Snow-Covered Plains, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Swamp, Snow-Covered Mountain, and Snow-Covered Forest — are also basic lands. Note that snow-covered lands are permitted only in formats that allow the Ice Age set to be used.)

Extended Deck Construction

January 19, 2015

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, you must be able to shuffle your deck with no assistance. If a player wishes to use a sideboard, it must contain no more than fifteen cards.

With the exception of basic land cards, a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. All cards named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest are basic.

The following card sets are permitted in Extended tournaments:

Magic 2013

Magic 2014

Magic 2015

Khans of Tarkir

Fate Reforged

Innistrad

Dark Ascension

Avacyn Restored

Return to Ravnica

Gatecrash

Dragon’s Maze

Theros

Born of the Gods

Journey into Nyx

Official information about Constructed formats and the Extended format can be found in the Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules.

Modern

Updated January 19, 2015

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards. There is no maximum deck size; however, you must be able to shuffle your deck with no assistance. If a player wishes to use a sideboard, it must contain no more than fifteen cards.

With the exception of basic land cards, a player’s combined deck and sideboard may not contain more than four of any individual card, counted by its English card title equivalent. All cards named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest are basic. (The five Ice Age Block snow-covered lands — Snow-Covered Plains, Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Swamp, Snow-Covered Mountain, and Snow-Covered Forest — are also basic lands. Note that snow-covered lands are permitted in this format because it allows cards from the expansion Coldsnap.)

Vintage

Updated January 19, 2015

Vintage is a Magic format that allows all sets and promotional cards available. Normal deckbuilding rules do apply: Decks must be a minimum of 60 cards and contain no more than 4 copies of any card, excluding basic land. Sideboards are permitted but can contain no more than 15 cards.

The following cards are banned in Vintage (meaning you cannot play them):

Legacy

Updated January 19, 2015

Legacy is a Magic: the Gathering eternal format that bans most of the restricted cards from Vintage but allows all sets and promotional cards. Normal deckbuilding rules do apply: decks must be a minimum of 60 cards and contain no more than 4 copies of any card, excluding basic land. Sideboards of up to 15 cards are permitted.

Pauper Deck Construction

Pauper is a Magic Online format in which all cards used must have been printed at the common rarity in a Magic Online set or product. Other than that, the usual rules for constructed decks apply (a minimum deck size of 60 cards in the main deck, an optional sideboard of up to 15 cards, and so on). If a common version of a particular card was ever released on Magic Online, any versions of that card printed at other rarities are also legal in this format.

Example: Counterspell was a common card in the Seventh Edition Core Set, which was released on Magic Online. Counterspell was reprinted in Masters Edition II with an uncommon expansion symbol. Both versions of the card can be used in the Pauper format.

Example: Hymn to Tourach, another uncommon from Masters Edition II, is not legal for use in the Magic Online Pauper format. Even though Hymn to Tourach was printed as a common in the Fallen Empires set, that set was never released on Magic Online.

100 Card Singleton

100 Card Singleton is a specialty Magic Online format in which every card is effectively restricted; with the exception of basic land cards, a player’s deck may not contain more than one of any individual card.

Players’ decks must contain exactly 100 cards in the main deck, and an optional sideboard must contain up to 15 cards.

100 Card Singleton is based on the Classic format. All sets and promotional cards are allowed.

Standard Singleton

Standard Singleton is a specialty Magic Online format based on the Standard core format, except every card is effectively restricted; with the exception of basic land cards, a player’s deck may not contain more than one of any individual card.

Players’ decks must contain exactly 60 cards in the main deck, and and an optional sideboard must contain up to 15 cards.

Core Set Constructed

Core Set Constructed is a specialty Magic Online format, which allows cards from every Core Set on Magic Online. Currently, this is:

Seventh Edition

Eighth Edition

Ninth Edition

Tenth Edition

Magic 2010

Magic 2011

Magic 2012

Magic 2013

Magic 2014

Magic 2015

As in most Constructed formats, a player’s deck may not contain more than four copies of any individual card. Players’ decks must contain a minimum of 60 cards in the main deck, and and an optional sideboard may contain up to 15 cards.

Tribal Wars Deck Construction

Tribal Wars is a casual Magic Online format that emphasizes creature combat: one-third of every deck must be of a single creature type.

Constructed decks must contain a minimum of sixty cards. All cards named Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest are basic. Sideboards are not permitted.

Classic Tribal Wars was renamed Legacy Tribal Wars, which will allow all cards in Legacy, except for those cards on the banned list. Standard Tribal Wars was also created and follows the same ruleset, except the legal cardpool includes only what is legal in Standard.

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